Potential SolarDay Events

IDEAS FOR YOUR COMMUNITY EVENTS

All organizations are encouraged to do their own thing for SolarDay 2011. We can help with some of the suggested ideas below for you to organize and help us celebrate the first, annual, SolarDay. Most of these events can be easily organized in your home town. And, participants can help contribute to a good environmental cause right in your own neighborhood.

For questions and suggestions about putting on and promoting a SolarDay 2011 event, please contact:

Some suggestions and ideas for you and your organization to consider for Saturday, June 18.

1 – SolarDay 2011, Run for the Sun™: how about a nice, friendly 5K walk and run event on a pleasant Saturday, June 19 – with proceeds donated to a fine, local environmental cause in your hometown. A SolarDay Walk-A-Thon would also be great.

2 – SolarDay 2011, show Me Your Solar: How about a self-guided tour of local solar homes and businesses so people can see, firsthand, how solar works on a practical basis?

3 – SolarDay 2011, My Town Eco-Tour: Most towns have cool eco-elements many people don’t know about. Why not an Eco-Tour on SolarDay 2011 to check out the people and places that are living and working eco-friendly in your town?

4 – SolarDay 2011, Going Green – Ten Steps To Sustainability: Need an expert for SolarDay? Your local solar energy company can help, as can the U.S. Green Building Council and local organizations that would be happy to discuss steps everyone can take to live better, greener lives.

5 – SolarDay 2011, Save Energy: Again, your local solar company can give plenty of advice on saving energy in the home and workplace. There are also experts from your local utility available to talk to SolarDay 2011 participants about saving energy – everything from turning back the thermostat to long-lasting, energy-efficient lightbulbs to natural lighting to . . . it’s a long list of practical, inexpensive ideas that can help reduce the costs of energy in our daily lives.

6 – SolarDay 2011, Eco-Home, Eco-Business: We can start improving the quality of our homes and workplaces with low VOC paints, recycled carpets, natural glues and adhesives, natural cleaning products, recycled products, eco-friendly flooring and natural bamboo, FSC-certified wood products – this is a great place to start with an expert speaker about simple tips to improve the eco-quality™ of our homes and businesses.

7 – SolarDay 2011, Start Your Organic Garden – you can’t grow one without the sun. Why not have an organic gardening expert at SolarDay 2011 to talk about chemical-free foods, natural and organic and biodynamic gardening. All good.

8 – SolarDay 2011, Solar Oven Competition: Speaking of food, why not have a solar-oven competition? These are easy to build (just Google solar ovens), lots of different designs, you can actually cook food at SolarDay 2011, outside in the sun and offer those delectables to participants at your local event. Rather cool – and hot enough to cook with.

9 – SolarDay 2011, Green Getaway Silent Auction: Speaking of green, your organization can create a list of cool green destinations as a vacation getaway to the lucky bidder. We’ve all obtained sponsors for silent auctions for our schools and organizations, why not a green getaway weekend package with a green hotel, local organic restaurant, maybe a natural winery – you get the idea. A little creativity and a little work will go a long way toward creating a fun, green getaway package.

10 – SolarDay 2011, Green Photo Contest: Invite your community to post their green photos on your organization’s website to share what folks are doing, in your town, to live green.

11 – SolarDay 2011, Concert and parade. Sing for the Sun!

These ideas will get you started. Please feel free to use them freely or create your own.